President Barack Obama wants to tie federal aid to colleges to how well they perform.

It's a simple concept, but it will be tough to execute. You can count on resistance from some colleges, especially those who fear they'll get a smaller share of the $150 billion in student financial aid now provided by the federal government. Congress will have to agree to tie this funding to new college ratings developed by the Obama administration -- something that's unlikely to happen in the current political environment.

Obama, however, says major reforms are needed to "shake up the system" of higher education because its "current trajectory is not sustainable."

Average tuition at public four-year colleges has increased by more than 250 percent over the past 30 years, he noted. Students who borrow money to help pay for college now graduate with an average debt of $26,000.

These trends are threatening to price the middle class out of a college education, he said, and they're keeping many college graduates from starting a family or starting a business.

Obama outlined his proposed reforms today to an enthusiastic audience at the University of Buffalo.

He'll start with something he can do on his own, without congressional approval. He directed Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to develop a new ratings system for colleges before the 2015 school year. These ratings won't be like the rankings published by private-sector sources such as U.S. News & World Report, Obama noted. In some cases, those rankings reward colleges for spending more money per student, thereby raising costs, he said.

Instead, the Department of Education will devise a scorecard that compares colleges on outcomes -- how many students graduate on time, how well their graduates do in the work world, and how much debt students leave with. Colleges also will be rewarded for providing opportunities to disadvantaged students and keeping tuition affordable. Plus, colleges will get points if they show continued improvement in these areas.

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